The DPP legislative caucus yesterday criticized a call by opposition legislators to open direct flights across the Taiwan Strait as a safety measure to avoid Hong Kong, which has reported several cases of potentially fatal atypical pneumonia during the past week.
The DPP legislators called the idea "ignorant and irrational."
KMT and PFP legislators called for the opening direct charter flights between China and Kinmen and Matsu after dozens of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) were reported in Hong Kong and one person died of the disease.
PHOTO: TONY YAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"Strengthening measures to prevent and control this epidemic is the way to tackle the SARS threat, not opening direct charter flights with China, which has the most SARS cases reported so far," said Chen Chi-mai (
He suggested that the opposition parties, who have long advocated direct cross-straight air links, were using fear surrounding the mystery illness to press their cause.
"Opposition parties ought not to attempt to rape professionalism with their political agenda," he said.
DPP Legislator Chien Chao-tong (
On Monday, a WHO official said that China had not updated these figures since mid-February, and they only included cases in Guangdong Province, which borders Hong Kong.
"As a matter of fact, it is much more risky to operate direct charter flights now that China is the place where most SARS cases have been reported so far," Chien said.
"What the government should do now is advise the general public not to visit these epidemic areas," Chien said.
Chien said that the DPP caucus shared opposition displeasure about the conduct of the WHO in ignoring Taiwan in dealing with the outbreak, but added that protests should be directed at Beijing, which has stymied Taiwan's attempts to engage the global health body.
The question of direct flights was also the topic of a brief quarrel at a breakfast meeting between Twu Shiing-jer (
Twu, who had been invited by the legislators to discuss Taiwan's three SARS cases with them, angered his hosts by saying, "I know you guys are trying everything to take this opportunity to push for your call for direct cross-strait links."
Furious PFP legislators told Twu not to apply political ideology to a professional issue.
Jeff Yang (
However, he said this did not guarantee that the links would be expanded.
"We must first take into consideration whether the health authorities of Kinmen and Matsu can satisfy disease prevention requirements," Yang said.
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